Marc & Shannon Parker from Parker Brothers Concepts chats about working on Syfy’s “Dream Machines”

Marc & Shannon Parker are the owners of Parker Brothers Concepts, which is located in Melbourne, FL.  They are also the stars on Syfy’s “Dream Machines”.  They have created cars for 50 Cent, WWE’s John Cena and Universal’s recent film “Battleship”.  Media Mikes recently had a chance to visit the shop in our first collaboration with MyGarageShop.com and got a chance to sit down and chat with the guys about the show and their inspiration behind it.

Mike J. Gencarelli: Tell us about the origin of Parker Bros Concepts?
Shannon Parker: It actually happened by accident. We started out just building things just to be building things. To begin with Marc and I talked about just building choppers, just regular bikes. I thought with the economy the way it way, I thought it was a bad idea because there are a lot of chopper builders out there. We only had enough money to build one…
Marc Parker: We didn’t even have enough money to build one [laughs]
SP: We didn’t have quite enough money to build one vehicle. So we talked about it a little bit and I really wanted to do a replica of the Batpod from “The Dark Knight”. I thought if we run out of money or can’t sell it at least I got something I wanted anyway. So we built it and put it out on the internet to get attention to sell it. We put it out there for $100,000 and when we did that it drew all kinds of attention. We weren’t able to sell it right away but it gave us some great attention and a step towards what we should do next. I think the next step we built our Xenon Light Motor Bike. After that we were off and running…

MJG: How did you get involved with SyFy and “Dream Machines”?
MP: Once the Xenon Light Motor Bike hit the internet it started going viral and before we were even done, we got a call from the TV people. At that point we were only in business for a couple of months. A guy named Edwin Zane called us up and asked “How would you like to do a TV show because the stuff you do is really cool?”. The company he was with at the time threw out a couple of numbers to us and at the time went with out gut and didn’t go with it…luckily. Especially now that we know what we know. He left that company and went to another company and pitched us again.
SP: In the meantime, we were getting pitches from other production companies as well but we never felt comfortable. We liked Edwin as a person and felt comfortable with him. Edwin then moved to another production company called Triage, Inc. and we ended up going with him full circle around.
MP: Triage is taking good care of us. It is a good show for them. They are a big enough company that they are able to do what needs to get done but still small enough to where we are important to them. Once we signed up with him then he pitched it to seven-eight networks. Literally the next day, he had four of the networks interested in the show. Syfy stepped up and said the first day “He is a contract we will take it”. No messing around. They are revamping that network right now and our show fits in well with them.

Mike P. Gencarelli: What made you switches from Parker Bros Choppers to Parker Bros Concepts?
SP: It was the show. More than anything, we didn’t want to come across as old school bike builders and that is it.
MP: When we first started, the original idea and name of the business was going to be Parker Bros Concepts but then we thought no one would know what that is. The original thought was choppers sell, the stuff we are building is weird and not sure if it would sell or not. We were probably going to end up building a couple of choppers local and build our way up. Then on the side build the concept and if people like them great and if they don’t we can just keep them. We went with Parker Bros Choppers for the name and then it came around full circle since the stuff we were doing was more important to the TV people. They didn’t want us to look like the Orange County Choppers. We switched it over to concepts.

MJG: What was it like shooting a reality show and working your day to day business?
MP: Oh my God!
SP: It was difficult…
MP: …and a lot different than we thought it was going to be. SP: You think it is just going to be a camera standing there off in the background and shooting but it doesn’t really work that way. There is a lot of interviews. It is a totally different world for us. It was a cool experience but it was pretty difficult to build something when they are asking us to do it over. Sometimes they may not get it the first time or may need a different angle.
MP: Or before you do anything you need to check it first with the showrunner or director and make sure it is something if they want to get on camera or not. Then we need to wait for them to get the cameras ready before we do the work.

MPG: On the show you guys have these ridiculous deadlines. Is that due to the show and now that we know about filming; how does that affect the deadlines?
MP: It kills the deadlines.
SP: Normally you would think the deadline is reality. All of these things were needed for certain events or premieres. It was one of those “have-to” situations. You have to have it done by this time.
MP: In addition all of these projects, like 50 Cent’s car, if 50 came to us normally and said I want this car, wewould say give us a year/year and a half and we will have this car for you. But you can’t build a show around something like that. All of the deadlines came into play since we only have “X” number of months to film “X” number of episodes. So a lot of these we had to cram into a shorter period of time just because of being able to film them.

MPG: Got a funny question, why is the logo on the roof?
MP: It is actually not!
MPG: It’s not? CGI?
MP: On the show they will show the roof two or three times and sometimes it is there and sometimes it is not. They spent a lot of money on this helicopter for one day. One of the shotsthey wanted was a building shot. The building looks kind of plain and didn’t really stand out against everything else on the road. They wanted to use the shot since they spent the money on the helicopter and so they CGIed it up there.

MJG: What was your most challenging project to date?
MP: Filming a TV show [laughs].
SP: I don’t know I think John Cena’s car was very difficult. Trying to figure out all the things that go into it. That was was also weird for us beecause we started out with a frame, since normally we don’t. We had a lot of issues…
MP: …trying to work around it. Sometimes starting from scratch makes it a lot easier on you with the crazy designs we are working with. It is hard to take sometime and make it fit into that design. If you just start from scratch, even though there is a lot more hours into it, it makes the design and the build come together a little easier. The most difficult in my mind was the Shredder from “Battleship”. With the Shredder we really got to showcase what we wanted to do. When we started this show, we threw a bunch of really over-the-top project out there at the network. They had us tone it down a bit but not completely insane.
SP: Like the single man sub-marine.
MP: Yeah we wanted to do a one man attack sub-marine and some flying vehicles. But that was personally the hardest but also my favorite build.

MPG: Besides plans for season two of “Dream Machines”; what do you see yours doing years down the line?
MP: Hopefully, we get to execute our plans from the very beginning. We want to be the go-to guys for Hollywood. We want to be the guys to build the vehicles for the movies and TV shows. Whether we are on TV or not, if we are building these things that is what we are into.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: brothers, chats, concepts, dream, machines, mark, ...

Chris Olen Ray talks about directing films like “Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus” and working with The Asylum

Chris Olen Ray is known best for his work with The Asylum on films like “Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus”, 2-Headed Shark Attack and the recent “Shark Week”.  Chris took out some time to chat with Media Mikes about his work on these films and his love for the genre.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you became involved working with The Asylum?
Chris Olen Ray: Basically a couple of years ago I was trying to get back into the film industry and the only people to give me a job was The Asylum. I did a lot of line producing for them and the rest is history dude [laughs].

MG: Tell us about how you got involved directing “Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus”?
COR: “Mega Shark” was really cool. I heard about it when I was producing “Mega Python vs. Gatoroid”. I had down two other similar films, “Reptisaurus” and “Megaconda” and they thought it was good enough to give me a show on “Mega Shark”.

MG: Where you happy with the final cut of “Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus”?
COR: Once I edited the film, they really didn’t do much to it. I have done though some after this film, which just have been chopped to shreds [laughs].

MG: Going from a directing a Mega Shark to a 2-Headed Shark, tell us about your experience on “2-Headed Shark Attack”?
COR: “2-Headed Shark Attack” was really fun. We shot it in the Florida Keys with a great cast, Brooke Hogan, Carmen Electra and Charlie O’Connell. The problem with this film was that we were trying to do a combination of CGI with the puppets. Initially in concepts the puppets were really cool but for some those damn teeth would stay in the sharks mouth [laughs]. There was quite a lot of CGI outflow, so to bring in the puppet it helped down a bit. It also gives the actor something else to work with.

MG: You are also directing “Shark Week”, tell us about that film?
COR: That film was very hard to make. Everything that you think could go work, went wrong. I was happy and surprised we were even able to get a movie out of it. I can’t talk about what
happened but whatever you see if better than we thought we had. The concept behind this movie was such a great concept for it to turn out the way it did. I am just hoping people enjoy it.

MG: What do you enjoy most about the creature feature genre?
COR: “Shark Week” was a little more serious tone but with “2-Headed Shark” and “Mega Shark” were a lot more fun. For “Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus”, your coming in on an already popular film and just want to keep it going well.

MG: What would you say has been your most challenging project to date?
COR: “Shark Week” honestly has been the hardest for me. In the 30 years I’ve been in Los Angeles and even talking with my old man, it just so wild. It really has to be my worst experience ever for me.

MG: What do you have planned next?
COR: Recently I’ve being doing these episodes for a project called “Silicon Assassins, which stars Richard Hatch. I also got a new film I am producing for The Asylum as well and just trying to stay busy.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: asylum, chris, crocosaurus, directing, films, mega, ...

Justin Willman talks magic and working on Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars”

Justin Willman is the host of Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars”.  His first passion is magic and currently has a web-series on The Nerdist Channel called “Magic Meltdown” and also has an on-going “Tricked Out Tour”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Justin about working on “Cupcake Wars” and get some cool behind-the-scenes stories.

Mike Gencarelli: What do you enjoy most about hosting “Cupcake Wars”?
Justin Willman: I love being a part of the show since it has such a wide fan base. Of course there are the adults that love watching “Cupcake Wars”. It is one of those few shows that has a broad family appeal that parents can watch with their kids since it has a little something for everybody. I really like broad appeal and being able to expand my own fanbase to a really wide one.

MG: How did this opportunity come up for you work on this show?
JW: I was a correspondent on “The Rachel Ray Show” for a couple of years, which was my first regular hosting gig. Through that I was exposed the culinary world. I would cover different food events for her. I never had any connection between the food world before and between you and me…I can’t cook [laughs]. Through that I was able to get into the world and when this audition came along, I was in the right place at the right time.

MG: You seem to have a lot of fun on the show; any cool behind-the-scenes stories?
JW: Let me think here. The show is very dramatic but you can see at times we are having a lot of fun and we really do. I get to hang out with Florian and Candace all day. They are sitting all day, actually they sit and I am standing while they bake. We got to become really close friends and have a lot of fun. I think the one behind-the-scenes nugget that I can give you is that Florian is not intimidating in person as he is on the show. He takes cupcakes very seriously but he is just a big teddy bear.

MG: Did you wear the kilt the whole episode during the Disney/Pixar “Brave” episode?
JW: The whole time! It was one of the most comfortable outfits. I was able to move around very freely. The kilt had a little built in pocket in the front, which was perfect for my phone. When we weren’t rolling I was able to catch up on emails and Angry Birds.

MG: You get to eat any of the cupcakes?
JW: One of my most commonly asked questions is “Do I get to eat the cupcakes”. I don’t on camera. But Candace will rarely finish her own cupcake. usually I get to eat whatever she doesn’t eat. If it is a great cupcake, I have to try it but if it is horrible sometimes I have to try that also just to see.

MG: When can we expect some new episodes of “Cupcake Wars”?
JW: We should be airing news episodes currently every Sunday. Then are shooting now for our seventh season with 13 more episodes coming this Fall!

MG: Tell us about your new series “Magic Meltdown”?
JW: Obviously I have been doing magic since I was 12. It is my first passion and it is what I love doing most. The Nerdist channel, which hosts “Magic Meltdown”, gave me this chance to do this street magic series with a comedic edge to it. It was a chance to finally put out my own brand of comedy magic. It has been great. We have done 6 episodes so far out of 15. New episodes air every Friday.

MG: Tell us about your on-going “Tricked Out Tour”?
JW: Honestly, there is nothing that makes me happier than performing on stage for a live audience. This Fall, I have a couple of tour stops. Next year, I am putting together a whole theater tour, hopefully all over the country. Coming to a theater near you! I hope all the “Cupcake Wars” fans come out and get a chance to meet me in person.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: cupcake, food, justin, magic, networks, talks, ...

Dane DeHaan talks about working on “Lawless”

Dane DeHaan starred as Andrew Detmer earlier this year in the hit film “Chronicle”. He is co-starring with an ensemble cast of Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy and Gary Oldman in his new film “Lawless”, playing Cricket Tate. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Dane about his new role and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about the dynamic that your character brings to this film?
Dane DeHaan: I play the role of Cricket Tate. He is the heart of the movie in many ways, like the light at the end of the tunnel. It is a very broodish and violent world that the movie takes place in. They say about Cricket that he “can never hurt a fly”. Well the three brothers have hurt their fair share of files. He soups up the cars and makes the moonshine better. So I would say that Cricket is also the brains behind the operation, as well as the heart.

MG: Did you explore the novel, “The Wettest County In The World” prior to shooting?
DD: Yeah I read the novel. For me, what I got out of the novel most was Cricket physicality. It talks a lot of about how he crouches a lot, which it didn’t necessarily say that in the script. So I got a lot of that from the novel.

MG: It is such a phenomenal cast, tell us about working witheveryone on this film?
DD: It was a dream come true. It has a lot of my favorite piers and my heroes. I got throw in and got to have a good time with them. It was a great experience.

MG: What was your most challenging task working on this film?
DD: The film presented a lot of challenges for me. The way I walked in the movie was physically taxing on my body. Keeping the hope within the movie was challenging to fulfill in that role. When I make a movie, it’s like every day presents its own challenges and I like overcoming those challenges each day. I don’t know it is just one thing sticks out as the hardest.

MG: How was it going from a apex predator (in “Chronicle”) to a moonshine bootlegger (in “Lawless”)?
DD: It was really fun. That is what I look for. I look for the variation and the difference in roles and new ways of challenging myself. They are very different people. Cricket Tate and Andrew Detmer are definitely very different people from very different times and with different sets of problems. I love playing those different spectrums.

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Filed Under: Interviews Tagged With: dane, dehaan, lawless, talks, working

Jena Sims talking about working with Roger Corman in the film “Attack of the 50ft Cheerleader”

Jena Sims plays Cassi Stratford in the upcoming Roger Corman film “Attack of the 50ft Cheerleader”. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Jena about the role and what it was like working with Roger.

Adam Lawton: How did you first get connected with Roger Corman?
Jena Sims: I auditioned for the film just like any other audition.  I really had no idea and was just treating this like another audition. The call was held in Roger’s office however he was not there at the time. I met with the director and casting associate and almost immediately booked the job.  They asked me if I had any cheerleading experience which I had as I did cheerleading throughout school. I didn’t get to meet Roger until about half way through filming. He has a brief cameo in one of the scenes. Roger was very sweet and quiet. He was just so nice. I was and still am very glad to be a part of one of his movies.

AL: Can you give us some background on the film?
JS: The film is a younger version of the classic film “Attack of the 50ft Woman”.  The story starts out with my character Cassi being the “ugly duckling”. She desperately wants to be a cheerleader and part of a sorority but because of her looks she can’t. One day while messing around in the science lab with her friend Cassi is injected with a serum that makes her beautiful but at the same time makes her grow.

AL: What drew you to the project?
JS: I grew up watching the “Bring It On” films. Those movies actually made me want to be a cheerleader. I loved that this film had a cheerleading element to it but also that it was a Roger Corman film. Roger has worked with so many great people and I wanted to be a part of that roster.

AL: How did working on this film compare to some of your previous work?
JS: It was like night and day. Being an independent film with a lower budget I think allowed everyone working on the film more creative freedom. Things were so much more relaxed and we all could contribute ideas for lines and or scenes. We all had a tremendous amount of input. I picked out and wore a number of my own clothes in the film. A lot of films the procedure is very tight and things are done in a certain way. Working on this Corman film was like going to summer camp. It really was just so much fun.

AL: Can you tell us about your involvement with HBBQ?
JS: HBBQ is a non-profit organization that I started. The letters actually stand for “Has Been Beauty Queen”. I started the organization in 2006 as a pageant for kids with terminal cancer called “Pageant of Hope”. I competed in pageants as a kid and was Miss Georgia Teen 2008. I lost my Grandfather when I was younger to cancer so I was always very interested in fund raising for places like the American Cancer Society. When kids come in to be a part of the pageant we teach the pageant walk and do their hair and makeup. We really try to get to know the kids and help bring them out of their shells. At the end of the day we have the pageant and everyone is a winner. With these pageants we try and help take the kids minds of being sick and in the hospital. I have been able to travel all around the world putting on these pageants and it’s been great.

AL: What other projects do you have coming up?
JS: I just shot a found footage film the other day which has still yet to be titled. It was a really fun and cute roll. I have auditioning quite a bit as all the fall shows are beginning production. I also will be doing a pageant for my organization in my home town in September so I am really looking forward to that. It’s been a long time since I have held one of these in my home town.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: 50ft, attack, cheerleader, corman, film, jena, ...

Brandon Johnson talks about working on Adult Swim’s “NTSF:SD:SUV::”

Brandon Johnson is the co-star of Adult Swim’s “NTSF:SD:SUV::” He is joined by Paul Scheer, Kate Mulgrew, Rebecca Romijn, Martin Starr, June Diane Raphael and Rob Riggle. The show has just started its second season and already is shaping up to trump its first.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Brandon to find about what he like most about playing Alphonse and what we can expect this season.

Mike Gencarelli: What do you think makes “NTSF:SD:SUV::” so unique?
Brandon Johnson: I feel like you get a lot of bang for your buck. We think our audience is really smart. We know they are. We don’t try and hit it over their head, in terms of “Do you all get what a crime procedural is?”. One of the coolest things about Adult Swim and their shows is that they get really amazing talent to be able to come in and do these shows. What separates us from everyone else is our cameos. We have Ray Liotta in there. I have no idea how they got Kate Mulgrew, but she is hilarious. You look at it and it seems like just a little show but then you look closer and realize we have every member of “The Office”, the members of “Human Giant” and most of cast from “Freak and Geeks”, including Paul Fieg. If you are a nerd, we will appeal to you.

MG: If I wasn’t already a big fan, that is really a great sale for the show.
BJ: [laughs], I know right. If you are a computer nerd…we have a robot. If you like “Star Trek”…we have Kate Mulgrew. We are taking care of you nerds.

MG: Where do you get inspiration for Alphonse?
BJ: I love the contrast of LL Cool J and Ice-T as cops on television. Alphonse has these great one-liners that are pretty potent but he is terrified of everything. I like to be the basic cop like “Hey man, I may not have gone to college and don’t understand words on paper but I know your a criminal” [laughs]. As much as David Caruso believes that sunglasses improves his skills — LL Cool J believes that flexing his pecks makes him a better cop. I try to do the best I can to convey “I really don’t know what doing on here but I don’t like it”. [laughs]

MG: Have you gotten a script and just thought it was too over-the-top?
BJ: No. We are really happy that the writers are really really good at what they do. I am just really trying to keep up with them. The creators knew what they wanted to do with the show, so by the time we got there it was really tight.

MG: What can we expect from season two of “NTSF:SD:SUV::”
BJ: Season two you get to see the lovely NTSF:AK:CANOE, which is another NTSF in Alaska. We are going to Alaska to meet my father, who is being played by Steven Williams.

MG: How do you compare this season to the first season?
BJ: The first season, I think we were trying to win you. We went to different locations in each episodes and there wasn’t a lot of focus on some of the other characters. This season your are going to get more of June (Diane Raphael), a lot of Rebecca (Romijn), and Martin (Starr) gets his own episode. One of the things we wanted to do this season was say “Look now that you know how crazy we are, let’s go ahead and give you a look at each of the characters”. I mean there will always be (Paul) Scheer, since we need him and he is just amazing.

MG: Any room for improv?
BJ: It is a weird thing. It is like a Jeter situation [laughs]. “We know that you were a great baseball player once and still are and if we ever need those skills that will be amazing, but you trust the skipper on this one and just do your job” [laughs]. I thankfully don’t have to improv that much. The writers are really good and help me out on that.

MG: What else do you have planned next?
BJ: I do but I have to be loyal to this one. I think this show is going to be awesome this season!

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: adult, brandon, johnson, ntsfsdsuv, swims, talks, ...

Michael Biehn & Jennifer Blanc-Biehn talk about working together on “The Victim”

Michael Biehn & Jennifer Blanc-Biehn are husband/wife team who made the horror/thriller “The Victim”.  The duo took on numerous role with Jennifer acting and producing, while Michael acted as well as written and directed the film.  The film is set to be released in theaters August 24th then will head to Blu-ray and DVD shortly after.  I highly recommend this film.  It is a real labor of love from the two of them and it really shows.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Michael and Jennifer about their experience from making the film to getting it released.

Mike Gencarelli: Michael, since this is your directoral debut with “The Victim”; what is the main thing you have taken away from this experience?
Michael Biehn: It was a lot more work then I expected it to be and was also a lot more time consuming. After I directed it then went into post-production, but my job didn’t end there. I thought my job was over, maybe I would have be right if I was working for a studio. But at that point then I had to get out and get people to see this movie. I spent just about a year then traveling with it.  We went to Los Angeles, Kansas City, San Francisco, Texas, Louisville and all over Canada. As we were showing the movie, it started getting some good reviews and some buzz among the distributors. Finally Anchor Bay picked it up and I have been happy with working with them.

MG: How was it working together as a team on this project?
Jennifer Blanc-Biehn: Well we worked together before over the years but we never worked together in this capacity before where I was producing and starring opposite him and he was directing and writing. Then we added our production company into the mix, so it is a whole new world. We are both intense, passionate and volatile people anyway. This project was intense and volatile but at the same time really fun and collaborative. As passionate as we get, I always trust Michael and I have his back. Overall, it was a really great experience.
MB: Jennifer is really a born producer. It never would have gotten made without her. She found the money and the source material. The movie was original based on another screenplay, but it was a page one rewrite. Jennifer handled everything from the beginning. She pushed everything through and worked very hard for this film.

MG: The film itself is quite intense, what was each of yours biggest challenge?
JBB: I think for me trying to stay calm was a big challenge. My character didn’t need to stay calm, so it was probably ok.
MB: Well, the biggest challenge for me was obviously time. I shot the movie in 12 days. I had never worked on a project before that time in any less than 24 days. I always feel like if you have $100,000 dollars and 6 weeks to build a house, you can probably build a pretty nice house. If you got $10,000 dollars and a week to build a house, its going to be a different kind of house. We were doing like 45 setups a day. Also when I found out we were going to make this movie, we had to actually start filming right away. I had to finish the script and do pre-production at the same time. Any filmmakers will tell you is not the ideal way to do it. Basically our pre-production was crewing up, casting, location scouting and dealing with the Screen Actors Guild. When you have that little time, I told the people that brought the money to the table that I would do this but I would have to have all the creative control, production control and all the decision making. It was a lot of responsibility but also fun and exsilerating at the same time to finally be the boss. It’s like I had the Jim Cameron contract on a Roger Corman movie.

MG: Jennifer, what do you enjoy most about producing aspect of the film?
JBB: I think what I enjoy the most is not the logistics of producing, which is dealing with the crews etc. That is more of a line producer. I am better at championing a film, sifting out material that excites me, getting other people excited and finding investors. I like the more social aspect of producing. I am also good at nagging people with emails [laughs]. I can find a role for myself instead of having other people dictate what I do. I started off as an actress and only an actress. So it has been fun to be able to find a role I like and possibly find a way to make it work. Lastly, I like the idea of bringing stuff to Michael and getting him excited about it.

MG: So how/when can people get a chance to see “The Victim”?
JBB: We open a theater in NY on August 24th at the Quad Cinema. On that same day we also premiere at FrightFest UK at the Empire Cinema. We play a week in NY, then we play for a week in Los Angeles at Quentin Taratino’s theater, the New Beverly Cinema on September 7th. Then on September 18th, we go to Blu-ray, DVD, VOD, Amazon streaming, Netflix, iTunes, Redbox…the whole deal.

MG: What do you guys have planned next together?
JBB: We are going to start a remake at the beginning of next year it is called “Hidden in the Woods”. We found this movie at Fantastia International Film Festival and both of us just fell in love with this filmmaker. It is directed by a guy named Patricio Valladares and he is just unbelievable and up-and-coming.
MB: He is just a great young filmmaker and only like 22 years old. I happen to be on the jury at the festival and got to see his film early. I have never been a fan of the “Saw” and “Hostel” series, but this one even though it has a lot of violence it doesn’t feel gratuitous. So we are looking forward to this project quite a bit.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: biehn, blancbiehn, jennifer, michael, talk, victim, ...

Chris Butler & Sam Fell talk about directing “ParaNorman” and working with stop-motion animation

Chris Butler & Sam Fell are the co-directors of Laika Animation’s latest stop-motion animation film “ParaNorman”.  The film is the first stop-motion film to utilize a 3D color printer to create replacement faces for its puppets and breaks all the boundaries which past stop-motion films have faced.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with the directors about working in the horror genre and blending it with stop-motion animation.

Mike Gencarelli: I am a big stop-motion fan but I see a trend with “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, Coraline” and “ParaNorman” all tend to have creepy aspects, why and do you you feel this aspect relates to stop motion?
Chris Butler: I think is the tradition of the medium. If you trace it back to its early days, in the 1890’s the very first efforts in stop-motion were creepy. “The Dancing Skeleton” was one of the first back in 1897. I think what it comes down to is they feature inanimate objects moving on their own accord, which in itself is something like black magic going on there. If you look at the pioneers of this medium, there was a certain creepiness to them. There has always been that slightly unsettling side of it. I believe it is entirely to do with it being real objects moving. When Tim Burton comes along and re-invents with with “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, he is playing on that and having fun with that slightly dark sense of humor. I don’t think it should be the limitation of the medium by any means. “ParaNorman” is kind of spooky but I think there shouldn’t be any real limits to the kind of stories you can tell with stop-motion.

MG: This is the first stop-motion film to utilize a 3D color printer to create replacement faces for its puppets, tell us about about that decision?
Sam Fell: Obviously these things aren’t designed for stop-motion animation. You are always taking a chance. We wanted to do something different on this film. They got a color printer in the studio and we did some experiments with it initially with the character Neil, who is covered in  freckles. When we saw it on the tested it big screen it just looked so promising. It was one of those spine-tingling moments, when you see something you’ve never seen before. We didn’t know if it was going to work on all the characters or if it would literally last over a two year production. We took a risk and went for it but it really turned out so well. When you see how the light fall on those faces or comes through them. I think the characters look less like dolls and are even more tangible and believable.

MG: I read that Norman alone has about 8,000 faces, how does that compare from other stop-motion films?
SF: I think with the numbers of faces, it has increased exponentially. I think Norman had a possible 1.5 million expressions at hand. We would never even use all of them since I don’t even think the human face can use that many expression. But that was at our finger tips. So pretty much whatever we wanted to do with this character we were able to do. It was really freeing because in the past stop-motion has had it limitations. There was replacement heads as far back as “The Nightmare Before Christmas” but they had to be hand-sculpted, so they were limited. Pretty much every limitation has been blown up on this movie. The boundaries in place of previous stop-motion movies, we broke them all. That was how we felt going into this. We thought let’s push this as far as we can and see what we can achieve. Everything we tried to do…it worked.

MG: The film is animated for a younger audience but is quite scary for some kids, how can you reflect?
SF: I think we wanted to make a family movie more than a kids movie. Something aimed at the teens or actually “tweens”. It is about an 11 year old boy and reflects their lives on screen. We wanted laughs, as well as scares and in a way it is like designing a roller coaster ride. We actually think that kids like scares. It is firstly entertaining and it also adds in a dramatic story. The hero, in this case a kid, has real challenges. You take them through it and show the darkness can be defeated. I think it makes for a great ride. We didn’t want to wimp out on the scares. We may loose the toddlers or the preschoolers but that is the risk you take. It is very hard to make a film for everybody…without being bland.
CB: We were specifically referencing an era of movie making that I think was a little braver. The movie that I grew up watching like “The Goonies” and “Ghostbusters”. They weren’t afraid to have scares and show an imperfect world. But they did it with humor and style. I miss those movies and I feel that they are also sorely missed by many people. So it was nice to play in that era again. Even though it was a contemporary movie, it was very much referenced by the films of the 80’s.

MG: I loved the Easter eggs for horror fans like the hockey mask and ringtone, any other hidden gems?
CB: The movie is so dripped with references that I don’t even known where to start. It is not just stuff that was in the script. I wrote in the bar in touch is called the Bargento, in reference to the old Italian movies. The name of Neil’s dead dog is Bub, which is the name of the tamed zombie in “Day of the Dead”. Most of the characters surnames are either horror movie directors or writers, even if they do not appear in the movie. On top of that we have a whole crew of movie fanatics, who were responsible for making the props and locations. They stick all kinds of stuff in there as well. It is difficult to even pin-point how much there is actually in there. Sam’s name even ended up on the old tramps underpants [laughs].
SF: I didn’t ask for that by the way [laughs].

 

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: animation, butler, chris, directing, fell, paranorman, ...

Valerie Azlynn talks about working on TBS’ “Sullivan & Son”

Valerie Azlynn is currently playing the role of Melanie on TBS’ new comedy series “Sullivan & Son”.  The show is created by Steve Byrne, who also stars, and Rob Long (“Cheers”).  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Valerie about the show and what her inspiration was for her character.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with “Sullivan & Son”?
Valerie Azlynn: Well, it was a normal audition process for me. I met Steve (Byrne) and the guys during the audition and I thought we all worked well right from the beginning. Steve was so kind and cool during the audition process. Honestly it was a very fun audition. I left and just thought how awesome it would be to get to work with these people. I was shocked when I got the part. It not only made my day when I found out but my entire year. I was so excited.

MG: What do you enjoy most about playing Melanie?
VA: I personally enjoy how confident and semi-grounded she is. I would say she – if it is like a car – she is the axle. Nothing really works without the axle. It is always there and grounded. The guys are like the wheels and Steve is like the driver [laughs]. She is able to put everbody in check. I think Steve and her have a lot of similarities. If anything they are both extremely stubborn. I loved her relationship with the guys. They are her brothers as well. Even with my own brothers in real life, you can put them in check pretty easily…which is good.

MG: What is your inspiration for her character?
VA: I stole out of that from real life experiences. The rest of the character is stealing from Bea Arthur, Julia-Louise Dreyfuss and a lot from my grandmother. She was a really firey red-head, who not only put people in there place but told them where they were going to go. From being partially raised by her, I got this little attiude from her. So that is a big part of the character. Lastly I like to throw a little Angelina Jolie in there, since she is so sexy and cool. I don’t even know if she has anything to do with my character but let’s just toss her in cause it sounds good [laughs].

MG: Was it hard to keep it serious amongst a cast mostly of stand-up comedians?
VA: I think there were some moments where it was really hard to keep a straight face. I feel like I had done a ton of comedy and my background is improv. I think just the fact of staying in a scene and improvising, if anything it made me want to take the scene longer and further.

MG: What was your highlight from shooting on season one?
VA: I would have to say my favorite is actually “The Panty Theif” episode. I mean we include panties, a puppy and punching. It has everything. The real treat was working with John Michael Higgins. For me personally, he does work that if I was a dude I would totally want to emulate this career. So my plans is to do the female version of that [laughs]. But he is seriously funny as shit! He just reads a line and everyone goes into a riot. It is the same thing with Brian Doyle-Murray. There are just some people that are so extraordinary.

MG: How does this show differ from your past TV work?
VA: This show for me is just such a great experience. I get to be a regular on the show and not just coming in and supporting. I felt like I really got to be a part of the family. Also the way a sitcom is shot is such a great bonding experience. You are all together everyday of the week for a couple of months. When you are anactor, if you are going in and out of jobs with guest spots etc, those experience are great but you don’t get to have that constant bonding. There is such a charm with this cast. I developed great relationships with everyone from the very first day. I loved working with all of these people.

MG: What do you have planned next?
VA: I did another little spot on “Castle” for their season opener this Fall. I was on it last season for a couple of episodes also. It was really fun, I got to play a superhero. I just pop in and out. I haven’t heard anything yet about season two of “Sullivan & Son”. Maybe our fans will reach out and demand more episodes. I feel pretty good about it. All we do is try and make you laugh and I think the audience really appreciates that.

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Filed Under: TV Interviews Tagged With: azlynn, son, sullivan, talks, tbs, valerie, ...

Katherine LaNasa chats about working with Will Ferrell in “The Campaign”

Katherine LaNasa is playing the role of Rose Brady across from Will Ferrell in new political comedy “The Campaign”.  She is also co-starring the new Fall NBC drama “Infamous”.  Katherine took out some time to chat about her upcoming work and how it was working with Will Ferrell.

Mike Gencarelli: What was your inspiration for Rose Brady in “The Campaign”?
Katherine LaNasa: Well Rose is very bossy and ambitious. I call her a hick in a dress [laughs]. She is a combination for me of Sarah Palin, Sidney McCain, Ann Romney and a little bit of Rick Perry’s wife Anita all rolled into one [laughs].

MG: You have a hard time keeping it serious on set with Will Ferrell?
KL: Yes, that was kind of the main problem. I was glad to see the final cut and saw that I came off ok. I was pretty worried. The first couple of weeks, I kept thinking I was going to be terrible. All I was doing was trying not to laugh. I would look at Will and I had to focus between his eyes and think about like dead people or something in order not to get through the takes and not laugh. It was pretty bad [laughs].

MG: What would you say was the highlight of working on the film?
KL: There was an interview with Piers Morgan, that you saw a little in the trailer but didn’t end up in the movie. Cam (Will Ferrell) puts cigarettes out during an interview and they asked him “are you pushing cigarettes?” He says “Nooooo, I just enjoy the cool refreshing taste”. He is basically pushing Kool’s [laughing]. Or he would be like “Oh I am sorry what are we talking about…Coke Zero?”. It was so ridiculous. I was in the other room and was suppose to come into the interview as a surprise guest and sell him out. When we were shooting it, I was watching Will on a monitor in another room. The first couple of takes every time they got to me I would be crying from laughing so hard. Finally I had to have them cover the monitor and take my earpiece out. I couldn’t handle it. So that was one highlight. There also this big rally with pyrotechnics and flying around on wires. It was just fun and it was one of the things you get to do in a big-budget movie.

MG: Tell us about your two upcoming films this fall “Jayne Mansfield’s Car” and “The Frozen Ground”?
KL: “The Frozen Ground” should be coming out next. I did it right before “The Campaign”. It is a very dark drama, true story about this serial killer in the 80’s. I played his wife in the film. It also has Nicolas Cage and Vanessa Hudgens in it. Before that I shot “Jayne Mansfield’s Car”, it is a 1969 familydrama. I play the daughter of Robert Duvall and sister to Kevin Bacon and Robert Patrick. I really enjoy both of those experiences.

MG: Switching to the TV world, tell us about your character Sophia Bowers and we can expect from your new NBC drama “Infamous”
KL: I start working on this later in the month in New York. It is this brooding dark murder mystery. It is being shot at the house where they shot “The Great Gatsby”. I play a cross between Kathleen Turner in “Body Heat” and Glenn Close in “Damages”. Very dark and sexual. Should be a lot of fun.

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Executive Director Kim Klingler talks about working with the Ian Somerhalder Foundation

Kim Klingler talks is the Executive Director with the Ian Somerhalder Foundation.  Over the the last 12 years, she has worked with a variety of for profits and non profits, in a variety of industries, focusing on strategic mission, start up, product, brand and team development. Kim took out some time to chat with Media Mikes to tell us how she got started with ISF and what they have planned upcoming.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you take on the role of Executive Director of the Ian Somerhalder Foundation?
Kim Klingler: I was watching Ian on the Larry King Gulf Oil Spill Telethon, and was struck with Ian’s authenticity.. and wanted to connect with him to see if there were potentials to collaborate with Well World, a project I was working on with Deepak Chopra. Ian and I spoke on the phone and clicked…we felt the same way about the current state of the planet, and had the same vibe about the types of solutions we wished to see… the rest as they say is history.

MG: Tell us about the foundation’s mission and goals?
KK: Our mission statement is: “The Ian Somerhalder Foundation aims to empower, educate and collaborate with people and projects to positively impact the planet and its creatures.” The underlying energy of the foundation enables our mission and vision. There are more than 650 ISF community groups world wide. ISF is more than an organization, it’s a family of people who wish to see great change for all
living beings on this planet. We thrive off of the collaborative nature of everyone from volunteers to corporate bodies. We welcome out of the box thinkers and encourage people to share their innate talents with change makers creating opportunities for the best of many worlds to come together.

MG: How has it been working with Ian to accomplish these goals?
KK: If you can believe it, I’m not asked this question often. Which is truly crazy! I’ve seen Ian inspired, happy, very sad and even angry – I’ve got all the goods! I wish people would ask this question more, because it gives me an opportunity to share a little more about him and why I’m grateful to be working towards change with him.Ian is a very creative being, in too many forms to list. He’s also exceptionally intelligent and quite strategic. If he could he would try to solve every problem, because it’s in his genuine nature to heal. He’s very sensitive to the energy in a room, and can pick up things most people miss. He’s also a naturally grateful person which makes working with him a delight. He’s one of my more favourite human beings on this planet but keeping up with him is not an easy task! Im almost convinced the man has perfected teleporation and mastered sleep deprivation!

MG: How did ISF get involved with Best Friends Animal Society’s Strut Your Mutt?
KK: We are huge fans of Best Friends it was just natural to get involved withthis awesome project. We all work virtually, and I love the way I can work in tandem with people all over the world but there is something to be said about connecting in person. It renews that human connection all social animals crave, so having the opportunity to walk with and power up with people who care in person was to hard to resist!

MG: What can people do to get involved even if that can’t attend?
KK: If you can’t be in Lafayette, LA on September 22nd, you can still Strut Your Mutt by becoming a “virtual” member of the ISF Dog Pack. Every ISF Dog Pack member creates their own personal SYM page, sets there own fundraising goal and raises funds via sponsors like family and friends. For the virtual walkers, we are encouraging them to set aside a day and take their pet on a special walk. Then share their walk with their sponsors and others on the SYM Facebook page through pictures and a story.

MG: What does ISF have planned next after this event?
KK: We have a stack of to do’s a bunch of creative directions and a whole lot of work ahead of us! We are VERY excited about moving forward with the Animal Sancturary and it’s bully program- keep your eyes posted!

 

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: director, executive, foundation, ian, kim, klingler, ...

Dj Ashba talks about working with Guns N’ Roses and Sixx AM

Dj Ashba is the guitarist for the hard rock/metal groups Guns N’ Roses and Sixx AM. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Dj about his work with the groups and hit recent connection with Bullyville.com.

Adam Lawton: How did you first get hooked-up with Axl Rose?
Dj Ashba: Sharon Osbourne introduced me to Axl in 2000 during the time I was recording the Beautiful Creatures album.

AL: What is the hardest part about balancing your work in Guns N’ Roses and your work with Sixx: A.M.?
DA: Well due to the fact that Sixx: A.M. is not really a touring band it makes things much easier. That’s not to say we won’t ever get out and play some shows, but we really enjoy just writing and putting out great albums. We tour a lot in Guns but we have some nice breaks which allows me to focus on my other passions.

AL: What was it that made you want to start your own media company “ASHBA Media, Inc.”?
DA: I was an artist before I was a musician, and in my mind art always goes hand-in-hand with music. When I was in Jr. High, I had a cartoon in the local newspaper and I have always been the “artsy kid”. I created ASHBA Media, Inc. when my artwork was seen by Virgin, and they appointed me as their agency of records to brand and market all of the Virgin Megastores worldwide.

AL: You are involved in a number of different ventures (music, art, clothing, etc.). Is there one that you find more satisfying than the others?
DA: No, One is a nice head break from the next, but they are all part of the same world.

AL: How did you get started with BullyVille.com?
DA: I had bought a brand-new house in Las Vegas, and my neighbor happened to be James McGibney-the CEO of Bullyville. After sitting down and talking to him I felt I needed to get involved. I think it’s a wonderful thing that he is giving people a place to go online to raise awareness. Because of what I had been through in my childhood, I wanted to help and Bullyville.com was the perfect vehicle.

AL: What other projects do you have in the works?
DA: I started a corporation called ASHBA AUTOMOTIVE GROUP with Ryan Freidlinghaus of WEST COAST CUSTOMS. We will be launching the brand-new, Limited Edition ASHBA CHALLENGER, by Dodge. We are very proud. It is the ultimate, modern “Rock N’ Roll Hotrod”. Rock N’ Roll and hotrods used to go hand in hand, and it’s an American tradition that we want to bring back in a big way. I will also be launching a social network, called “ASHBALAND.COM, A Rock n’ Roll community”. It’s the ultimate place on the net for fans to unite, come together, and share their love for music.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: ashba, dj, guns, roses, sixx, talks, ...

Bassist Ricky Phillips talks working with Styx, Reo Speedwagon and Ted Nugent

Ricky Phillips is no stranger to world of rock music. Over his 30+ year career Phillips has played bass for a number of successful groups. He is probably best known for holding down the low end for the legendary classic rock band Styx. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Ricky recently about the bands current tour with Reo Speedwagon and Ted Nugent as well as about the bands recent Blu-Ray release titled “Styx: Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight- Live”.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on the bands current tour with Reo Speedwagon and Ted Nugent?
Ricky Phillips: Both Styx and Reo Speedwagon have some incredible history that goes way back. We are both from Illinois and have toured together before but this is the first one we have done together in about 3 or 4 years. We did do some one off shows here and there but the idea came up to put us together and have Ted Nugent open. It is sort of a collaboration of Mid-West rock bands. The attendance at these shows has just been amazing. When you go out each year you never know what the shows will be like. The first leg of the tour went well and was sort of business as usual. This second leg has been sold out every night which just blew us away. It’s really crazy how it’s caught on. This success may lead to us doing a similar tour sometime next year. The fans seem to really enjoy the line up and if you think about it each group is quite different so we are trying to put a different slant on mid-west rock.

AL: What has been the biggest difference in the crowds as of late?
RP: There are so many young people now that have discovered classic rock bands. They seem to be at a point in their music listening lives where they are looking for what came before. We are those guys. When I and the rest of the guys in the band were younger and at this point we were heavily influenced by the British music movement. From there we looked back and found artists like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. Guys like Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page were into these acts so we started searching them out as well. It is pretty cool seeing these new young faces as they watch and sing along. We have a great cross section of fans.

AL: Can you tell us about the DVD/Blu-Ray the band recently released?
RP: The “Styx: Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight- Live” came out really great. The Blu-Ray did amazing and I couldn’t believe how many people were waiting for that. I think we were actually number 2 in sales for the first couple weeks on Amazon.com. Those two albums go together so well that the discs came out beautifully. Doing those shows was like going back the vinyl era where you dropped the needle and boom the music kicks in. We did each album in its entirety the way it was recorded so fans could have that feeling of knowing what the next song is. They could get wrapped up in the songs. We would then take an intermission and come back and play “Pieces of Eight”. It was just so much fun. When we first did those records and you were trying to get them on the radio you would pack one side with what you thought were going to be the hits. You were trying to foresee the future. When you do a live concert things are exactly the opposite. You generally start with the B cuts then the hits and close out with your encores. It was a bizarre way to do a live show like an album but it seemed to work really well. The Blu-Ray version of the show is definitely the way to see it.

AL: Was it hard going back and playing some of the material that you hadn’t played in awhile?
RP: At first it was a little tough. We worked pretty hard on the material and once we got in to it we knew we weren’t turning back. We did a lot of switching off between vocals parts as there are just so many stacked vocal parts on those albums. We even threw a microphone back to our drummer Todd Sucherman who is a great singer. Getting those extra voices were crucial and probably the biggest challenge. We like challenges like that and we welcomed it. Things turned out really well.

AL: VH1 recently did a re-mastered episode of the “Styx: Behind the Music” episode. What was it like having to delve once again back in to the bands history?
RP: Personally I am not a fan of those kinds of shows. I am a bit of a weirdo. I don’t like people knowing my bands business. I liked the concept of not knowing about a band until you went and saw them live. You might see a picture or two of a band in a magazine or something but that was about it. I loved that mystique. Watching these types of shows is a little difficult. I know fans like them and we are in a different age now. With reality television and things I guess these types of shows fit right in. The episode is pretty well represented I think. They shot some footage of me while I was in England and I was a little afraid to watch the show. After seeing I thought it was good and gladthat it was out there for fans to see how the band came about and how we have evolved.

AL: What other plans are in the works for the band?
RP: The band will continue to tour and live its daily life. As that happens things are always evolving and stuff start to tell their own stories. We have been writing new material and talking about getting it recorded for some time. I have started to hear more and more about it as of late. We may find some time in our schedules to actually do that. For us it’s really about the touring business. After this tour wraps up I think we have about a week off and then we go back out doing “An Evening with Styx”. I kind of know what parts of the country we will be in but I don’t know the exact venues.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: bassist, nugent, phillips, reo, ricky, speedwagon, ...

Miss Hannah Minx’s evil twin chats about working on “The Devil’s Carnival”

Miss Hannah Minx is an American vlogger known for her Kawaii anime look.  She is well-known on YouTube for her extensive cosplay in Japan, her informational videos about Japanese culture, and her JWOW (teaching a Japanese Word of the Week)/JPOW (Japanese Phrase of the Week). You can check out her YouTube page here.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with “Miss Hannah Jinx,” who is Miss Hannah Minx’s evil twin, who starred in The Devil’s Carnival to discuss her role in the film and her twin’s YouTube popularity.

MG: How did you get involved with the film “The Devil’s Carnival”?
HJ: It was a match made in HELL! \m/

MG: Tell us about your role and your work on the film?
HJ: I played a “Woe Maiden.” There are three, including me, in total. The other two WoeMaiden’s, Captain Maggots and Contessa Create, are the Bloody Crumpets in Emilie Autumn’s band. Emilie Autumn is the “Painted Doll.” Together, we torment others in hell. I am psyched to work with them again in another upcoming installation of The Devil’sCarnival.

MG: What do you enjoy most about being considered a YouTube sensation?
HJ: Ooooouuuhhh, a sensation…that word says it all.

MG: What do you enjoy most about teaching Japanese through Jinxy JWOW (teaching a Japanese Word of the Week) & Jinxy JPOW (Japanese Phrase of the Week)?
HJ: They’re a lot of fun because I always teach BRUTAL words like the word for “Devil!” \m/

MG: Your nice twin sister was featured in an iPhone app, “Dress Minxy”, can you tell us what you think of that?
HJ: Gota love your twin–I’m so proud of her—it’s super Minxy. It’s an app where you get to dress up Miss Hannah Minx in all of her outfits! Check it out in the app store!

MG: How does it feel to have a manga based on your nice twin sister Miss Hannah Minx, being released at Comic-Con this Summer?
HJ: It’s gonna be awesome!! I can’t wait to go to Comic-Con this year!

MG: Miss Hannah Minx recently did cosplay with Elvira, please tell us what you think of Elvira’s response.
HJ: I LOVE Elvira!! Elvira’s video was totally hilarious! Check it out:

MG: Do you have any plans to cosplay any celebrities?
HJ: Miss Hannah Minx did a cosplay of SNL’s Gilly. Check it out:

As far as myself, I would love to cosplay some Anime characters soon!

MG: Do you have any plans for more film work?
HJ: Yes, there are several more movies in the works, but you’ll have to keep checking back on the youtube channels or on my website (www.misshannahminx.com) for updates on roles.

MG: What is your all-time favorite anime character?
HJ: Gaara!! \m/>_<\m/

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: carnival, chats, devils, evil, hannah, minxs, ...

Adam Busch talks about working on TBS’ hit show “Men at Work”

Adam Busch is currently co-star on TBS’ hit show “Men at Work”.  He co-stars along side Danny Masterson (“That ’70s Show”), James Lesure (“Las Vegas”) and Michael Cassidy (“The O.C.”).  “Men at Work” is one the best new shows on television right now and was already renewed for a second season next summer. Like myself Adam is also a Long Island, NY native who then moved to Orlando FL (also like myself) to pursue acting.  Media Mikes had a blast chatting with him about “Men at Work” and if you haven’t seen this show be sure to check it out on TBS.

Mike Gencarelli: What drew you to “Men at Work”?
Adam Busch: I have always wanted to do a sitcom. I started working for Nickelodeon on the show “The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo” and across the hall they were recording the sketch comedy “All That”. Our show was serious and we would hear this laughing and screaming next door whenever the stage door was opened. They were always having such fun and improving on the fly. I said myself that I wanted to do that.  Well, it took about 15 years later but I am finally making it happen. It was definitely as fun as I thought it would be.

MG: How do you prepare for the role of Neal?
AB: I like that it’s a place for Breckin (Meyer) and the writers to really explore relationship problems. You get heartache, you get serial monogamy and the pressure of a new dating system. Neal is the only chance to get the positives and negatives of being in a long-term relationships and the things that come up. I think it is a constant reminder to the other guys that things can be much better or much worse depending on the situation.

MG: The show is filmed in from of a live audience, does make it more difficult to shoot?
AB: That is the best part! If at all everything else is a challenge and that is where I feel the most comfortable and have the most fun. When you have been rehearsing a line all week long and right before you say it one of the writers or Breckin comes over and hand you a brand new fresh line that you haven’t had time to think about, you have no choice but just to commit to it. To hear the reactions from the crowd, that is so much fun. I love the studio audience. There is also a rhythm you can into like if the audience is laughing or Oooing and Ahhhing, you can tap into that and just go with it and make the audience happy.

MG: You find that their is a lot of room for improv?
AB: Well, yeah there is room for it and it certainly does happy sometimes. The really exciting thing is that it gives room for Breckin and the writers to come up with lines on the fly.

MG: Breckin Meyer seems like he is always there on set, huh?
AB: He is always there. Every day, after we rehearse with the director, we do a run through for him to hear it and see it. He is the one giving notes on our performance or walking around making sure everyone is cool or has questions before the shoot. It is a really lucky situation having a young actor as your boss. Also everything is ripped right from his life, so he has all the answers.

MG: The chemistry between you and the guys are great, you find it hard to stay serious while shooting?
AB: Yeah, I do…I do. But that is what is great about doing a show about four friends. Very often if I am laughing at something James (Lesure) is saying during the shooting, there it is right in the show. We are friends and he makes me laugh and that is it. I don’t have to remain serious. We enjoy the way we all interact. Our dynamic of us hanging out is actually a lot different than our dynamic on the show. In the show everyone makes fun of Neal but outside we all make fun of (Michael) Cassidy. He is so freaking pretty and you can’t resist [laughs].

MG: What has been your favorite episode so far this season?
AB: I don’t know if I have a favorite episode. But I certainly have a favorite scene, like when I smack Cassidy back into reality. That was really fun and it changed so much throughout the week. First it was him smacking me, then it was me smacking him and it ended with us both smacking each other. We decided we were just gonna do it, no blocking with camera to fake it. I said I gonna smack you and your gonna smack me and that’s it. I also loved meeting J.K. Simmons and working with him. It was really wonderful.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: adam, busch, hit, men, show, talks, ...
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